Vengeance
by Danger Squad
Summary: "I've been raped, kidnapped, and nearly murdered in this hellhole you call home," she replies viciously. "Forgive me for not holding any sentiment for this godforsaken place."
1. Chapter 1

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Shifting slightly, gun weighing heavily in the palm of his hand, Jason Morgan idles patiently in the secluded area of the docks, awaiting the arrival of someone he hasn't seen in many years. Back when they held common ground, it had been unnecessary to arrive armed, but that is no longer the case and his safety is no longer guaranteed. For all he knows, he could very well be a sitting duck, but circumstances leave him no choice in the matter. They've been marked for dismantling and they need her help to stop it. Without her alliance, they could very well dig their own graves because it'll only be a matter of time before the Five Families order their demise.

"You came alone," the voice of one his former lieutenants, Francis Corelli, catches him off guard, but he doesn't show it. "Surprising."

"And she didn't."

"Can you blame her?" Francis counters with a shrug of his shoulders. "You did put her husband in a coma."

"He was a prick."

"He was innocent," Francis states firmly. "He wasn't his father."

"Agree to disagree," Jason replies with distaste, holding no regret for what he did. "Where is she?"

"She'll be here shortly," Francis assures, leaning against a stack of crates. "Once O'Brien secures the perimeter and gives her the all clear."

"There's no one else here," Jason states, growing tired of being as exposed as he is. "I'm no threat to her."

"Forgive us if we don't take your word on that," Francis says with a tilt of his hand, gesturing to the stack of crates next to him. "Might as well grab some crate. It'll be a while."

Growling lowly in frustration, Jason drops down onto the small stack of crates, knowing there was no point in arguing with the man. Security is the one thing she doesn't lax on, something she's learned from him, and there was no way that she was showing up until she was certain her safety wasn't at risk. The gun in his hand posed little threat to her as long as she had her two enforcers by her side. After Sonny screwed up the last meeting, he's lucky to have been granted another so soon.

Sitting in silence, they remain stoic, no love lost between the two, not since Sonny went after Johnny O'Brien when his contract had been bought off him. Once a guard was sold off to another family, it was a sign of respect to honor the purchase and not retaliate. Sonny, during his dark period, did the exact opposite. He apologized, but the damage was done. All that remained for them to do is move forward and leave the past behind them. Something they've tried to do, but sometimes the past just won't permit that. Much like this moment.

"Site's clear," O'Brien says over the comm. "Sending her in now."

"Copy that," Francis replies, moving to attention. "Proceed to phase two."

"Understood," O'Brien replies as he starts climbing up to his vantage point. "In position."

"Stand by," Francis says before turning to Jason. "She's on her way now."

Rising to his feet, Jason stares off into the darkness, awaiting her arrival. The moment she stepped foot out of the shadows, Jason could see just how different she has become, simply by the way she has chosen to dress. Black leather pants, combat boots, blood red tank top with a leather jacket atop. Her once long curly hair now stop just about her shoulders, straight and sharp, her makeup fierce in a way that would send chills through his blood. A gun holstered to her waist, another strapped at the ankle, he'd even wager a guess that she had a few knives stashed on her. A full-fledged boss if he ever saw one.

"Let's make this quick," she states firmly, not even a hint of a smile upon her face as she stares him down. "The sooner I get out of this hellhole the better."

"This hellhole used to be your home," he counters, trying to remind her of what this town had meant to her once. "Or have you forgotten?"

"I've been raped, kidnapped, and nearly murdered in this hellhole you call home," she replies viciously. "Forgive me for not holding any sentiment for this godforsaken place."

"There were good times..."

"I didn't come here for a rundown of the past," she cuts him off swiftly, knowing exactly what he was trying to pull. "You wanted a chance to voice your standing. Get on with it."

"I would," Jason eyes her carefully before voicing, "But something tells me you couldn't care less about what we need."

"You're not wrong," she replies truthfully, a devilish smirk playing at her lips. "I made my standing very clear to Sonny when he sent the proposition. A standing that hasn't changed a single bit."

"Then why meet with me?" Jason questions in frustration. "What is the point of all this?"

"Curiosity, mostly," she concedes, hopping up onto a stack of crates. "After everything that's happened, I just couldn't resist hearing what you had to say in defense of what you and Sonny did to me and my family. What you did to my husband. A man who wanted nothing more than to live a peaceful life making music and creating a family with me."

"You romanticize him too much," Jason states. "He was just as volatile as his father."

"You're wrong," she states through gritted teeth. "He was innocent!"

"He attacked our warehouse without provocation!" Jason nearly shouts, growing frustrated with her defense of her husband. "He killed three of my men!"

"To save me!" she snaps, jumping to her feet, anger flooding her being. "He did that to save me from Sonny!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Little blind enforcer unaware of his boss's true sins," she scoffs, disgusted with how blind he truly is. "Sonny had me locked away in that warehouse for nearly a month while my husband tried to negotiate my release. In that time, Sonny forced him to commit unspeakable things, even going as far as ordering him to kill his own father."

"You're lying."

"And, if that wasn't bad enough, if killing his own father for that son of a bitch wasn't bad enough," she states on a low harsh tone, her face mere inches from his. "Just as I was about to escape, your best friend, your boss, knowing my condition, pushed me down a flight of stairs...killing my baby in the process."

"Liz, don't," O'Brien voices over the comm, forcing her to take a step away from him. "I know it's hard, but we have got to stick to the plan."

"I know," she mumbles before straightening out and facing Jason once again. "And what did you do, Jason, huh? You went after my husband for something you would have done had you faced the same circumstances. Only we both know you would have done a lot worse."

"If what you're saying is true..." Jason takes a moment, trying to see how much truth resides in her words. "...I had no knowledge of it. I never would have let him do it."

"I'm sure," she scoffs. "Too bad you have no control over Sonny or his actions. All he has to do is ship you off to some random country on assignment and he's free to do as he pleases all the while."

"This alliance is bigger than Sonny's sins," Jason tries to get her to see reason regardless of how futile the argument sounds. "Name your price, dammit! You've got to have one."

"Okay...since you insisted," Elizabeth's eyes grow a shade darker as she states her terms, "A life for a life. You want this alliance so badly, I want Sonny dead just as much. Do that and you've got yourself a deal."

"No."

"No?"

"You're driven by vengeance," Jason states, understanding the look within her eyes. "You won't stop at Sonny's death. You're bound to come after me for what I did to your husband."

"But don't you see," Elizabeth smirks hauntingly. "You killing Sonny gives me both."

"Meaning?"

"The moment his life ends at your hands, your life ends just the same," Elizabeth states. "Because we both know you could never forgive yourself for killing the one person that's stuck by you all your life."

"I'd never kill myself over it."

"Of course not," Elizabeth says with certainty. "That's what I'm counting on. I want you to live with the guilt, allowing it to eat away at you from the inside out until all that's left is a shell of the man you once were."

"And if I don't?"

"You asked for my price and I've given it to you," Elizabeth shrugs. "Either you kill Sonny or you don't. Regardless of your choice, I still get what I want in the end. This meeting's over."

Walking off into the darkness from whence she came, Elizabeth makes her way to the car with Francis by her side, instructing Johnny to keep watch over Jason as he heads off to meet with Sonny. She had been certain when giving the ultimatum that Jason would turn her down, but it didn't hurt to lay it out there. Jason returned to town after months of being away and went after her husband without knowing the full story. Making him just as liable as Sonny.

Watching from his vantage point from within the warehouse, he listens carefully by way of the bug Elizabeth planted on Jason when she got close to him. Clearly Jason wasn't happy with being blindsided, but of course, Sonny had a line of excuses ready to placate the enforcer. Playing the mental health card. To Johnny's complete surprise, however, Sonny orders Jason to kill him. Talk about a twist in events.

"Liz, he's doing it," Johnny says over the comms. "He's actually going to kill him."

"Dammit," Elizabeth states, meeting Francis's eyes before letting out a growl of frustration. "Put a stop to it."

"You sure?" Johnny was beyond tempted to watch it play out. "The plan could still work..."

"Do as she says," Francis is the one to respond. "He'll die soon enough."

"Fine," Johnny sighs, hopping down from his sniper's nest to put a stop to the scene unfolding. "Here. Spoilsports."

"Corinthos," Sonny voices once he lifts the phone to his ear.

"You want the alliance, you've got it, temporarily," Elizabeth states in anger. "Make no mistake, Corinthos, the day you die, I'll be the one pulling the trigger. Count on it."

"Understood," Sonny voices before the line goes dead, handing the phone back to O'Brien, who makes a hasty exit. "She agreed to the alliance."

Part of Jason wanted to believe that she did it out of the kindness of her heart. That she knew he was about to do it and put an end to it for his sake, but the logical part of him knows better than to hope for that. This was a business move. She never expected him to follow through. All of which makes him wonder just what she has up her sleeve. What plan does she have cooked up that requires Sonny to be alive for it?

"How is he?" Elizabeth asks the nurse as she sits by her husband's bedside. "Any changes?"

"His vitals are getting stronger," the nurse informs, setting down the chart in the holder. "His sister came by earlier, she wishes you to call her when you've got the chance."

"Thank you," Elizabeth replies, taking her husband's hand into hers. "You're free to go. Please enjoy your weekend with your son and wish him a happy birthday from me and my husband."

"I will, Mrs. Zacchara, thank you," the nurse says gratefully, bowing her head slightly. "I truly hope the new medication helps him."

"Me, too," Elizabeth agrees, gently caressing his cheek in the palm of her hand. "More than you know."

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	2. Chapter 2

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**_Thank you. Enjoy._**

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Drenched in sweat, her arms weighing heavily with every punch, Elizabeth slams her fists into the punching bag, throwing all her frustrations into each punch. For years she fought to keep her family together. Standing up against her father-in-law, his twisted lawyer, and even the demented spawn created from said lawyer. They had finally gotten free of Anthony, granted peace, when Sonny Corinthos reared his ugly head and ruined their plans. Powered by his thirst for power, he proved to be the biggest threat to her happiness overall. Growling in frustration, Elizabeth picks up the bat from where she keeps it, bashing the punching bag with as much force as she can muster up, anger being her driving force behind it all.

"Whoa!" O'Brien blurts out, grabbing hold of the bat just as she was about to slam it into the bag once again, holding tight to it as she turns a glaring eye at him. "Workout foul."

"Release. The. Bat." she enunciates, her grip on the bat tightening ever so slightly. "Now. John."

"Not that I'm complaining or nothing, but that's the tenth bag we've hung this week alone," O'Brien reminds her, carefully releasing his hold on the bat, lifting his hands slightly in surrender before taking a couple steps back. "Maybe take it easy on the bags for a while. Just a suggestion."

"Fine," she says plainly, the bat dropping to the ground in a loud bang before she drops down on a chair, allowing O'Brien to remove her gloves and wraps. "Any word on my sister-in-law?"

"Her flight to Montreal just landed," O'Brien informs, dropping the equipment to the side. "We should be hearing back from her once she gets to the estate."

"Any updates on the negotiation for Cody?" Elizabeth questions, downing some water as she slings a towel over her shoulder, exiting the gym in direction of her office.

"Negotiations are still underway," O'Brien concedes. "Should be hearing back soon in regard to pricing. As for the two remaining slots, have you figured out which contracts you'll be bidding on next?"

"Milo Giambetti requested a bid be placed for his contract," Elizabeth informs him, sifting through her files to pull out the paperwork. "Corinthos threw in a bid for him, as well, on Max's behalf, but Maximus left the decision up to Milo. He'll be landing in a week. I already had the Jackal set up a place and several bank accounts to make his transition easier."

"And the last slot?"

"Fran's working on it," Elizabeth says with a shrug. "He doesn't want to reveal who he's recruiting until it's finalized."

"In case it doesn't work out," he guesses, knowing that they really were at the mercy of the other families as far as recruiting people they already trust. "We've got a few meetings to attend, but that's not until after lunch."

"Till then, I'll be with my husband," Elizabeth says as she locks the files away. "Forward the call from Claudia to his room and find me when it's time for the first meeting. Other than that, I don't want to be disturbed."

Leaving her office, she makes a beeline for her bathroom, desperately needing a nice long hot shower and a fresh set of clothes before she allows herself to be by her husband's side. Situating herself by his side, facing his monitors, Elizabeth props her legs up before placing her sketchbook down on her lap. In the short time that she gets to spend with him, she finds the most peace, their time alone reminding her of all the good that had once been their life together. The moment never lasts long, though, as she is vibrantly reminded of what's brought them to this moment. Him in a coma and her patiently waiting by his bedside for him to awaken.

_It was a sunshine kind of day when out of nowhere rain started pouring down, catching her outside without any form of raingear in sight. Securing her jacket around her, the only protection from the rain, she walks briskly through the park in the direction of a taxi stand. She doesn't have much on her, but she couldn't risk staying in the rain for much longer. The flu has a real knack for taking hold of her easily and she couldn't miss any more work. _

_"Here," a voice spoke nearby, catching her off guard as she turned to look at who had spoken, finding a man around her age standing beneath an umbrella. Lucky him. Guess it does pay to be prepared for anything. "You look like you could use this."_

_"Oh," she voices when she notices he's holding out a compact umbrella. "Um, I'd rather not impose."_

_"You're not imposing," he assures as he opens the umbrella and holds it over her head, gesturing for her to take the handle. "I have one of my own, so, it's no trouble, really."_

_"I...I shouldn't," Elizabeth shakes her head. "The taxi stand's not too far from here. I'll be okay."_

_"Are you sure?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Mind if I walk you to the stand, at least?" he asks, a soft smile playing at his lips. "For my peace of mind, if nothing else."_

_"Um, sure, okay," Elizabeth accepts, taking hold of the umbrella when he gestures for her to do so. "Thanks..."_

_"Johnny," he supplies, knowing that she was fishing for his name. "Johnny Zacchara."_

_"Elizabeth Webber," she replies with a smile, falling into step alongside him as they walk to the taxi stand._

_"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth," Johnny comments, bowing his head slightly in greeting. "Thank you for letting me walk with you."_

_"Thank you for the umbrella," Elizabeth replies in kind, turning to the taxi stand attendant. "Can I get a taxi, please?"_

_"Sure thing, Miss," the man replies, radioing a taxi over to them. "There you go. Have a nice day."_

_"Thank you," Elizabeth says before walking over to the taxi cab with Johnny by her side, smiling slightly as he pulls open the door for her. "And thank you, again, for helping me out. I appreciate it."_

_"Of course," he smiles softly, accepting the umbrella from her before storing it away in his bag. "Take care, Elizabeth."_

_"You, too, Johnny."_

_Scooting further in so that he could close the door, Elizabeth finds herself staring out the window at him as she's leaving, truly curious about the man with two umbrellas on a day that hadn't called for rain. Instructing the cab driver of her destination, she settles back into the seat once he's out of sight, accepting that she'd probably never see him again. It wasn't until she got to her place that she was met with an unexpected surprise. Johnny had paid the cab driver without her even noticing. If she wasn't intrigued by him before, she finds that she is now._

That had only been the beginning of what would be the best thing to have ever happened to her. At the start of it, however, it hadn't been an easy road to take. Back then, she and Jason had been on better terms and she took his warnings to heart when he had told her that Johnny Zacchara stemmed from a ruthless organization that didn't discriminate on their targets. Men, women, and children were all fair game. Something Elizabeth couldn't stand for. Regardless of the uphill battle that Johnny faced, he still kept showing up, especially in times of need.

_She had been pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting area to hear any kind of news on her grandmother. She had been involved in a car accident and no one was telling her anything. Just that she was in surgery and they'd let her know more when they can. As if she were the most patient person in the world. The more she paced the floor of that waiting area, the darker her thoughts became and she was just about to lose it completely when he walked off the elevator._

_"Elizabeth?" Johnny voices in question, confused by the clear dismay written across her face. "Everything okay?"_

_"I'm fine," she snaps without meaning to, taking a deep breath before shaking her head. "Sorry...I just...I'm fine."_

_"You don't look it," he counters carefully. "Would you like to talk about it?"_

_"I'd rather not," she replies. "Not now...not ever."_

_"Because of who my father is," he guesses, knowing that his lineage is the reason she's turned cold towards him, wishing he could prove himself somehow._

_"I'm friends with people in your world," Elizabeth explains carefully. "Friends that I trust and they say you're dangerous. I'm sorry, but I've had enough danger in my life to last a lifetime."_

_"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm nothing like my father," Johnny says gently. "And, if it's at all possible, I'd really like the chance to prove that to you."_

_"Okay," she whispers, unable to explain just why it was, but deep down she believed him. "One chance. I won't give you another."_

_"One is all I need," he replies with his whole heart. "You won't regret it."_

_For the next few hours, they sat and talked as she waited to hear news about her grandmother's condition. In the days to follow her grandmother's discharge, Johnny came around to help out a lot, making sure that she and her grandmother had everything they needed to ensure she made a full recovery. He cooked for them, helped maintain things around the house, and even helped her grandmother get into a suitable rehab facility to regain full mobility. Never asking her for anything and giving her so much without any hesitation. It was during that time that she learned to trust him._

Placing her trust in him had been the start of the end between her and Jason. The closer she got to Johnny, the farther she got from Jason, with his inability to see Johnny for who he is, Elizabeth felt she had no choice in the matter. By the time that she and Johnny were to get married, she and Jason were no longer on speaking terms, which hurt her on some level, but she held no regrets. Her heart and soul claimed Johnny as her own and she refused to give him up for anything. With him, she felt the most love. With him, she felt safe. Regardless of Anthony Zacchara and the challenges he placed in front of them so Johnny could be free of him, Elizabeth knew her place was by Johnny's side and that's exactly where she stayed.

"Claudia," Elizabeth voices over the phone. "I'm glad to hear you've made it in one piece."

"You and I both," Claudia agrees. "How's my brother? The new medication helping him any?"

"His vitals are slowly improving," Elizabeth informs. "The medical staff is optimistic."

"Good, that's good," Claudia lets out a sigh of relief. "The sooner he gets his lazy ass out of bed the better."

"Yeah," Elizabeth laughs softly. "Here's to hoping."

"What about you?" Claudia dares to ask. "How're you holding up?"

"Pretty much the same," Elizabeth replies honestly. "We almost did it...and now...I'll be better once he's back on his feet."

"I know the feeling," Claudia sighs. "Listen, I won't be gone for too long, I just need to handle things here before I can make my way back. You hang in there, okay?"

"As long as you do the same," Elizabeth replies. "We'll be here waiting for you when you return."

Ending the call just as O'Brien makes his way into the room, Elizabeth meets his eyes before granting him a single nod. Time for the round of meetings to begin. Taking a deep breath, she rises to her feet before leaning over to place a kiss upon her husband's forehead, touching hers to his for a long moment, whispering a small prayer for his continued healing before pulling away completely. Straightening her outfit, making sure she's presentable, she falls right into boss mode, refusing to let anyone see her weak. With her enforcers by her side, she situates herself behind her desk, ready to get these meetings over with and get back to her husband.

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End file.
